SNP Vows To Fight 'Savage' Cuts

Scottish National Party MPs will fight savage'' welfare cuts planned by the Governmentevery step of the way'' as Westminster prepares to resume business following the general election.

The Queen's Speech on Wednesday will mark the start of a parliamentary session where the SNP claims its 56 MPs will offer the only real opposition'' to the continuation of austerity measures.

The near-wipeout of all other parties in Scotland - Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats each have a single MP representing constituencies north of the border - gives the SNP an unprecedented democratic mandate to put an end to the cuts agenda'', MP Eilidh Whiteford claimed.

In an indication of the approach the increased ranks of SNP MPs will take, the party's social justice spokeswoman at Westminster said: We are already well aware of what to expect from the Tory government in this Queen's Speech, with the continuation of the relentless assault on the poor and a further £12 billion in cuts to social security - and the SNP will lead the fight against these cuts every step of the way.

With Labour all over the place and each of their leadership candidates seemingly getting ready to race even further to the right, the SNP is the only real opposition to unfair Tory cuts in the House of Commons - and people in Scotland can be assured that we will fight George Osborne and David Cameron's plans to impose more cuts on disadvantaged people at every turn."

The UK government's continued commitment to the savage welfare cuts that are inflicting such hardship on so many people underlines why they can't be allowed to take decisions on social security on Scotland's behalf any more."

The Scottish Parliament needs full powers over employment and social security to allow us to support and empower people - and SNP MPs will fight to have these powers delivered to Scotland."

At the general election, people in Scotland gave the SNP an unprecedented democratic mandate to put an end to the cuts agenda which is hurting people across our communities - and we will use this mandate to work with progressive allies both inside and outside of Westminster to lead the fight against Tory austerity and put forward a better plan to benefit people in Scotland and right across the UK.''